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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2534 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2269
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Dennis C. Gallagher
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act Bridgewater town charter article IV, town manager "temporary absence".
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Dennis C. Gallagher8th Plymouth1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2534 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2269
By Representative Gallagher of Bridgewater, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2269)
of Dennis C. Gallagher (by vote of the town) relative to the position of town manager in the town
of Bridgewater. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act Bridgewater town charter article IV, town manager "temporary absence".
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Whereas, Article 89, Section 8 of the Massachusetts Constitution allows the legislative
2body of the Town of Bridgewater to vote to submit a Special Act to the State Legislature to
3Amend the current Charter of the Town;
4 Ordered, that the Town Council assembled voted to amend the Bridgewater Home Rule
5Charter, Article IV, Section 4-7 and to send said amendment to the State Legislature as a Special
6Act as follows:
7 Section 4-7 shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
8 "Section 4-7. TEMPORARY ABSENCE
9 In the event of a temporary absence by the Town Manager of not more than twenty-one
10consecutive days, the Assistant Town Manager shall perform the duties of that office. 2 of 2
11 If the Assistant Town Manager is for any reason unable to serve, the Town Manager shall
12appoint a department head of the Town to perform the duties of that office during that period, by
13a letter filed with the Town Clerk and the Town Council.
14 In the event of failure of the Town Manager to make such a designation of if the person
15so designated is for any reason unable to serve, or is deemed not qualified by the Town Council,
16the Town Council may appoint some other qualified person to perform the duties of the Town
17Manager until the Town Manager returns.
18 No member of the Town Council shall serve as acting Town Manager."
19 Said Amendment shall only become effective and is contingent upon by the Town
20Council, the State Legislature and the voters of the Town of Bridgewater.